Efrosian
A Humanoid race native to Efros Delta, members of the United Federation of Planets. Physiology Most Efrosians have weak eyes, but compensate with a heightened sense of smell. Some Efrosians who are blind correct this disability with a type of special mechanical glasses. Interestingly, despite their poor eyesight Efrosians appear to have a greater range of vision than Humans, being sensitive to a wider portion of the spectrum. Efrosians have thick, luxuriant hair over much of their bodies, particularly their arms, chest and scalp. The hair on the scalp is typically worn long by both sexes, often hanging down over the shoulders. Most Efrosians residing on Efros Delta will wear hair in this style to retain heat; high-profile representatives working offworld will tend to keep to it so as to emphasise their roots. Minor functionaries living on planets less climatically harsh than Efros Delta will often adopt a shorter style more suited to their current home environment; at the very least, doing so makes grooming easier. Only males grow facial hair, and men usually sport lengthy beards or stylized moustaches. Among Efrosians, the hair of males is almost always a near-white; females on the other hand have hair of black, brown or a copper tone matching the skin. Studies have not yet indicated if this sexual dimorphism is the result of selective breeding early in Efrosian history, or if it is a natural phenomenon. It is interesting to note that in most Efrosian communities giving birth to a boy with dark hair brings shame upon a family. Whether this archaic bias is in evidence or not, people will automatically assume a dark-haired child female; for this reason, most males with such features will attempt to bleach their hair for ease of identification. Typical masculine hairstyles among adults tend to be more elaborate than in females, with hair sculpted into a near-mane. Some attribute this to the need for men, as the ancient hunters of Efrosian primitive society, to emulate their world’s analogues of the sabre-toothed cat and other predators by accentuating a ferocious, feline appearance. Balding Efrosians tend to retain the hair on the very top of the scalp after that around the temples has receded, resulting in a “crest” of sorts among many elder males. Family Efrosians have no tradition of monogamy, though this doesn’t necessarily translate into sexual promiscuity. Still, Efrosians consider sexual intercourse a useful way to learn to work well with others, helping people appreciate their colleagues. It is actually considered somewhat rude not to flirt with someone of your preferred sex. Children are raised by their mothers alone; in fact, the Efrosian word for mother is the word which translates into English as "parent". The closest term for a father is "seed-donor.", and most Efrosians never meet him. The mother is aided in caring for the child by whatever male lovers she has taken at the time. This behavior arose out of necessity; given the harsh conditions on Efros Delta, males had to mate with as many females as possible, and leaving a mother dependent upon only one male, who might not return from foraging parties, was foolish. Language The Efrosians do not have a written language. Although introduced to the concept by other civilizations, the Efrosian culture is still based on memorizing oral history. Furthermore, the Efrosian language is music based, which is more common among aquatic species such as the Alonis than mammalian humanoids. Category:Sapient Species